CPF Highlights Role of Forests for Bioenergy
7 November 2011: The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) has released a statement on the role of forests in coping with future demands for bioenergy, improving environmental quality and increasing economic opportunities.
The statement outlines potential opportunities for efficient use of wood for purposes such as the production of renewable bioproducts including bioplastics, biofuels and biochemicals, but cautions that increased demand for wood as a source of energy must be balanced with other needs. These needs include biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, ensuring livelihoods of forest-dependent communities and indigenous peoples, and the needs of conventional forest industries. The statement highlights that, although Europe focuses on enhancing contributions of forests to renewable energy supplies, many developing countries are more concerned with ensuring energy security and reducing vulnerabilities of forest-dependent communities dependent on biomass for energy.
The CPF advocates growing trees on farms as one way to meet local demands for fuel while taking pressure off forests and woodlands. The statement acknowledges that fuel wood use is a driver of deforestation in many developing countries, and calls for increased effort and investment to make fuelwood a source of sustainable and potentially carbon neutral energy in those countries. [CPF Statement]